NOT a Foster Failure ~

A foster failure, in rescue parlance, is when the person fostering a dog adopts it.  Cheeri has already been adopted, not by me but by the next best thing.  DSO was immediately smitten and has already adopted her.  I think it is a match made in heaven.  (I must admit though.  If he hadn't adopted her, I would have.)  This is the official adoption picture.  I think they are both looking pretty happy.

Her rescue name for microchip purposes will always be Cheerilee, but she has a new name.  Ernestine.  OK, stop rolling your eyes please (but I did the same thing) and I will explain.  Remember Laugh In?  Lily Tomlin snorting/chortling as the phone operator?  DSO says that's exactly how she sounds, hence the name.  It is a mouthful for such a little thing :)

Son J and grandson Jake left today for Tennessee to see the solar eclipse.  Viewing is better there than in Ohio.  They are going with J's friends and trailering the motorcycles.  J and Jake are looking forward to riding through the mountains.  That means I get to watch the granddog Kali.  Her mouth is just not big enough for her tongue . . . lol.

I was at Sauder Village Wednesday for day one of rug week.  I'll have lots of pictures to share in another post.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

16# of Cuteness ~

Meet Cheeri, my first foster in 4 1/2 years.  Let me start with her name.  Ohio Pug Rescue picks a theme each month to name the dogs coming in to rescue.  They want each pug to have a unique foster name.  If not, there would be dozens of Franks (think Men in Black), Pugsleys and Puggies.  The month's theme when she came in was My Little Pony.  I guess there is a pony named Cheerilee, so she is Cheeri for short.  I have two sons and a grandson, so what do I know about Ponies?  She was an owner surrender :(  Her human dad died and the human mom went to a nursing home.  Thankfully the family called OPR where she will be well taken care of.  She is as sweet as can be, just over 5 years old and 16# of cute.

 

On the ride home.

 

 

We're here.

 

 

So serious (Cheeri, not DSO . . . lol).

Chillin'.

Helping me hook :)

Relaxing while I'm on the computer.

 

I'm so happy you got to meet Cheeri.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Thanks for the Input ~

Thanks to all who left a comment on my last post and gave me their two cents on shutter/door color.  It was unanimous that I go with a red door.  Marly was so kind as to send me a mock up of three different color schemes with the offer of more if I desired.  I had briefly tried to find one of those apps, but quickly gave up when the first one did not work out.  Thanks so much Marly.

I decided to use the shutters that were on the house, so those are in the process of being painted grey.  Ugh, what a PIA to paint, but eight of ten have the first coat on.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a productive day.

 

Some rugs just hook easier than others.  I can't believe how much I have gotten done on this rug.  I am hooking it in an 8.5 and 9 cut, but for me this is great progress.

I had a small piece of the perfect chicken wool.  Thankfully when I went hooking on Monday, Connie had more.

Fingers crossed.  I have been dogless for well over a year and if all goes as planned, on Saturday I will be picking up a five year old female pug to foster.  Please think good thoughts.

 

Also, please say a prayer for a dear, dear friend.  Her pug has just been diagnosed with cancer and this is the third pug she will lose to the dreaded "C".  My heart just breaks for her.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Feeling Naked ~

Well the Fitbit worked for about 24 hours flawlessly.  Now it's dead.  Totally kaput :(  I have relied on it for the last 10 1/2 months.  My wrist feels totally naked.  The silver lining is that their customer support is excellent.  Though they are clearly located in another country (far, far away), the two CSRs I spoke with had a great command of the English language and both calls were answered with no hold time.  Thankfully I had 6 weeks left on my warranty (not the way my luck usually runs) so I was given two options.  They would send me the same tracker free or I could purchase a different model at 50% off.  I opted for a new one since the warranty on a replacement would end with my original purchase date, whereas a new one would have a new warranty.  It should arrive by the end of next week. 

 

I've a new pattern on the frame, Lancaster Barnyard by Notforgotten Farm.  I couldn't resist the sale Lori had a couple weeks ago.  I have more patterns than I can possibly hook/punch/applique/cross stitch in 3 lifetimes if I never buy another.  I'm sure I'm not alone :)

 

After many years of putting it off, my house is being sided.  It has had a snowball effect.  I figured since I was siding, I should get a new roof first.  Now that the siding is partially completed, I decided I need new gutters and new soffits.  I might as well get it all done and not have to deal with it again in my lifetime.  Oh, then I need new storm doors, light fixtures and a mailbox.  Cha ching!!!  Now the big decision is do I want barn red shutters and a grey door or vice versa.  I need to decided SOON since I am painting the shutters.  My poor landscaping.  I knew it would be trampled and it has been :(  I'm guessing the perennials will survive and come back next year ~ fingers crossed.

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Big Willie ~

 

The highlight of our quick trip to Chicago was a trip to Willis Tower (fka the Sears Tower), which my niece affectionately calls the Big Willie.  For as many times as I have been to the Windy City, it was a first for me.  The skydeck is on the 103rd floor of the tower, 1,353 feet (412.4 m) high and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Chicago.  We (DSO, grandson and one of my great nieces) braved "The Ledge", a retractable glass balcony which extends approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) from the facade of the 103rd floor, overlooking South Wacker Drive. The all-glass box allows visitors to look through the glass floor to the street 1,353 feet (412 m) below.  I was told I screamed like a girl when I first walked out on it, but I don't believe it :)

Jake is now officially taller than I am!

See those 4 "boxes" near the top?  Those are the clear ledges.  Now you know why I screamed like a girl?

 

We also took a water taxi to Chinatown for lunch, another first for me.  All in all, a great time was had in Chicago.

Jake . . .

. . . great niece Sophia, niece Elise and great niece Alexis look less than thrilled on the water taxi.

My niece lives in the Lincoln Square area of Chicago.  These signs in the window of the "downtown" area cracked me up.  I hope you can enlarge them enough to read.

I finished the binding on my Cedar Lakes camp rug ~ finally.  The pattern is by Red Barn Rugs and the finished size is 16 1/4" x 48 1/2".

I also finished the punching on this pattern by the Old Tattered Flag while driving home from Chicago.  I didn't plan too well because I had three hours where I had nothing to work on.  I'm not sure how I will finish it.  I'm thinking about giving it a walnut crystal dye bath.

My Fitbit is giving me fits.  It has worked flawlessly for almost a year and suddenly it's gone haywire and only works sporadically and keeps giving me messages that the update is complete.  In 11 months, I have never gotten that message.  Has anyone had any issues with theirs?  I looked on the internet and couldn't find any answers.  I guess I will have to look again.  This thing motivates me so I will replace if necessary.  ***UPDATE***  I called Fitbit customer service and Christian was a great help.  Hopefully all he had me do has reset the tracker and I should have no more problems.  WOO HOO!  I really did not want to buy a new one.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :) 
Lauren

A Start, a Finish, an almost Finish and a New/Old Bear ~

 

I started this punch needle piece (pattern by the Old Tattered Flag) while on vacation.  I did not get much accomplished and am going to remove the background that I have done and replace it with a more tan floss.  The gold is too similar to the gold in the motifs.  Hopefully I will get more done while heading to Chicago this week.  We are taking my grandson Jake to visit his cousins.

 

I finished the binding on my little horse rug (pattern by Winter Cottage) using the wonderful, chunky wool yarn sold by Ali Strebel.  Now it just needs a final steaming and a label.

 

The most time consuming part of the binding on my camp rug is done.  It shouldn't take too long to tack it down.  I will be happy to finally have this rug done.  The color is ALL wrong.  In person the  background is much more black!

 

 

Our last day in California we stopped at an antique shop in Santa Rosa.  I adored this well loved guy, but was afraid I did not have room to bring him home.  I couldn't stop thinking of him after I got home, so I had him shipped :)  The velveteen bow will definitely go.

Jake did not want to go on the poker run with his dad's motorcycle club today, so we are hanging out and will soon head to The Emoji Movie.  Then maybe time for a swim.  (Him, not me.)  It is a beautiful Sunday on Ohio's north coast.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Last of the Vacation Pics ~ I Promise

 

I've been home from vacation for a week and a half so it's high time I post the last of the pictures!

 

The flowers around Hermosa Beach were beautiful.  I don't think I've ever seen a bird of paradise up close before.



 

I just loved all the succulents.

 

These two pictures were taken at Yosemite.

While staying in Cotati, we went to a Civil War reenactment in a neighboring town.  We had never been to one before.  They even staged a battle.  Now mind you, it was at least 100* and they were dressed in wool uniforms.  Probably a couple hundred soldiers.  I think the ones who "died" early in the battle were relieved they did not have to move around.  It was hot sitting in the stands watching, so I can't imagine what it was like for them.

 

President Lincoln gave a speech at the end of the battle.

DSO's son and d-i-l had a tintype done.  Fun.

 

Our last adventure was heading to the Charles M. Schultz museum in Santa Rosa, where he lived for many decades.

 

This picture taken from the second floor will give you an idea how big this mural really is.

 

 

Charlie Brown and Snoopy in the early years before evolving as we know them today.

The restrooms were adorned with comic strip tiles like the ones in the large mural.

 

Even a Snoopy smashed penny machine :)

No more vacation pictures.  I promise.  Hopefully I will have two rug finishes to show you soon.  Both are partially bound.  I am trying so hard to keep up (with Saundra . . . lol!).

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren